JK facing onslaught on its identity: Omar

Ang: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Saturday asserted that the state’s special status is under peril saying that the BJP’s explicit and forceful undertaking to revoke the constitutional safeguards of our state by 2020 reveals their malicious agenda.
Party vice president while addressing massive election campaign rally at Dak Bungalow Anantnag, said, “We have seen how explicitly some of the high-flying ministers of Union Cabinet have come out against the special status of our state. The recent uncouth and spiteful statements of Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah are a case in point. Our concern is legitimate in view of the BJP’s undertaking in their manifesto about doing away with the special position of our state. Amidst all these intimidation, it becomes imperative for us to forge unity to save special position of our state. The opportunity is tapping our door, we should not let it pass by us unutilized. We should avail ourselves this opportunity and cleanse the state and the country from the communal yolk.”
Party vice president said that National Conference had offered unconditional support to the PDP to form government in 2014, after the results of the elections were out. “However, late Mufti turned down our offer. He told us that he had to develop the state, lessen the army presence, initiate dialogue with Hurriyat and Pakistan therefore it was apt for him to forge alliance with BJP. I had cautioned him against any such misadventure keeping in view the abhorrence of BJP for minorities particularly Muslims. I had cautioned him about the consequences of having BJP role in the state government, which happens to be a Muslim majority state. What followed was a colossal betrayal of people’s mandate. PDP formed the government with the same BJP against whom it had canvassed in the run-up to assembly elections in 2014. What followed the ill-fated embrace of Late Mufti sahab with BJP is history, the state witnessed worst of crisis, CASOS, Crack downs, operation all-out and arrests. People are asking question from PDP what good were they able to achieve from hobnobbing with the BJP. People are asking where the jobs are, what was done on the front of development, what measures were taken to take back the power projects. People didn’t see any dialogue happening with Pakistan, they didn’t see centre holding parleys with the different voices in our state. On the contrary what they did was to throw state into chaos. Today our religious leaders are being intimidated; thousands of our youth are behind the bars. Who is responsible for this? I was not in power when cases were slashed on Mirwaiz Umar Farooq by NIA; it was during Mehbooba ji’s tenure that cases were filed against Mirwaiz. She cannot absolve herself of the role she played in destroying the state. It was south Kashmir that bore much of the brunt of PDPs and BJPs hobnobbing. However I assure you that once NC government comes to power all the pending cases against our youth will be reviewed. We will make amends to the wrongs committed by the PDP. I reaffirm that once in power PSA has to go lock stock and barrel. It shall be obliterated from the papers, if we are voted to power with a strong mandate,” he said.
Party president while flaying Mehbooba Mufti for hunkering before for the lust of power said, “She stuck to chair when our kids were being targeted across the country. She remained glued to her chair when minorities particularly Muslims were targeted and lynched by errant mobs across the country. Had she raised qualms then, it would have made an impact on us. But she is throwing tantrums when she is not in power. She stands no chance now; people have made it a point to take her to account for betraying them; for berating their mandate which they gave to her in 2014. People will do it with their power of vote,” he said.
Party vice president in a stinging attack on Mehbooba, said, “It was she who unleashed bullets and pellets on our youth. She should come before people and reveal what points she was able to achieve from the much touted agenda of alliance. Let the people know, people are seeking answers from her.”
Referring to the party’s candidate from Anantnag parliamentary constituency Hasnain Masoodi he said, “Keeping in view the onslaught on our identity and integrity, we deliberately fielded Retd Justice Hassnain Masoodi from this constituency. He bears the indispensable political and legal acumen to fight for interests of our state inside the parliament,” he said.